Pumping apparatus



May @1930. G. L FEnGusoN PUHPING APPARATUS Fe Das. 12. 2.927

INVENToR. Lfgwm Patented Ni'ay 6, 193@ GALE L. FERGUSDN, F CLEVELAND, AUT() PRIME PUMP COMPANY, OF

ruMrING Aria/.utili'rus Applicatien led December 12, 1927'. Serial No. 239,367.

rlhe present invention relates, as indicated, to a pumping apparatus, and more particularly to an improved automatically primed `of which water or centrifugal or Vperipheral speed pump, and the primary object of the invention is `to provide in combination with a pump'of the type indicated apparatus through the agency other liquid may be satisfactorily lifted from a level substantially below the level of the pump. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends,

saidu invention, then, consists of the means 'y hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the followingfdescription set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. lis an eleva-tion partly in section of the pump casing and a section of priming chamber, showing the cover plate of such casing removed; Fig. 2 is a section of the pump taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and'Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the 1 cover plate.

Referring more particularly to the figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates a. priming chamber connected through a check valve 2 with a suitable source of liquid supply, and having an outlet connection 3 adjacent its bottom. A pump casing 4 provides'an inipeller chamber 5 adapted to receive a pair of mating rings 6 and 7 and provided on their abutting faces with annular grooves cooperating to form a pump channel 8. Within the chamber 5 there is mounted an impeller 9 carried by shaft 10 extending outwardly ofV the casing, and said impeller 9 extends into the pump channel 8. f,

The casing 4 is provided adjacent its -botf tom with an inlet connection 11 and at its top with an outlet connection 12 communieating with the impeller chamber 5 through a curved conduit 14; formed in the casing.

The side of the casing opposite that through which the shaft 10 extends is o en, and is adapted to be closed by a cover p ate 15 provided with a curved conduit 16 in its upper end communicating as at 17 with the impeller chamber. 5 and as at 18 4with the bore 19 of the outlet connect-ion l2. rl`hus it will be seen that the outlet connection 12 communicates with the impeller chamber 5 through the two passages 14 and 16.

A pipe 20 connects the outlet connection 3 of the priming chamber 1 with the inlet connection 11 of the pump casing 4. The pump channel 8 is provided with a branched inlet port 21 communicating with the passage 22 in the inlet connection 11 of the casing. on opposite sides of theimpeller 9. Said vpump channel 8 is further provided with an lnwardly opening branched outlet port 21communicating oli/opposite sides of the impeller 9 with the impeller chamber 5. It will be noted that a slight clearance is provided between the pump rings 6 and 7 and the `respective sides of the impeller 9.

When the pumping apparatus is first installed, the priming chamber 1 is filled by any desired means, and it will be obvious that the pump channel 8 and the impeller chamber 5 will be filled to a corresponding level because ofV the connection 20 and the clearances 23 and 24. lf, now, the impeller 9 is rapidly rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, liquid will be drawn from the priming chamber in through inlet `port 21 and will be ejected through the outlet pressure in the supply line will cause the liquid from the source of supply to rise in said supply line. Eventually, if the liquid source is sufficiently below the level of the pump, the liquid level in the priming chamat the same time 'ber 1 will be drawn below the top ot the outlet connection 3, and air will be drawn into the pump channel 8 in small amounts. The air bubbles thus drawn into the channel 8 will be forced out through the outlet port 21 into the impeller chamber 5, and will rise through the liquid in said impeller chamber and any liquid which may stand in the passages 14, 16 and 19 and will flow into the service line. As soon as air'begins to be drawn into the pump, the pressure in the delivery line from the pump will fall, and liquid will cease to be delivered and will stand at some equilibrium level probablyin the outlet connection 12, but possibly in they impeller chamber 5.

Ask will be readily understood, however, the

swirling of the Dliquid in the chamber 5 will cause such liquid to retain its annular shape and to continue to prime the pump through the clearances 23 and 24.' rIhus the pump will act, for as long as maybe necessary, as an air pump exhausting air from the priming chamber 1 and from the supply line connected thereto through the valve 2. Eventually, the pressure inthe priming chamber 1 and its supply line will be sui'liciently lowered to cause the liquid from the source to rise in said supply line suiiciently to enter the priming chamberl and to till said chamber, thus preventing the entranceof more air into the pump. Once the outlet connection 3 is sealed by the liquid, air ceases to be drawn in the ,f

pump channel 8, and the impeller chamber 5 is filled with liquid, after which the desired delivery of liquid through the outlet connection 12 begins.

It is to be understood that the above described cycle t-akes place only upon the original installation of the pump, or when, from some untoward accident the valve 2 has leaked drawn from the priming chamber 1 will be l.

immediatelyreplaced by liquid entering said chamber through the supply pipe and valve 2. Other modes of applying the principle 'of l 2. In a pump, a casing, providing a chamber, and an inlet and outlet communicating therewith, a pair ot annular rings within said chamber and forming a pump channel, an im-` said casing inlet, and with an internal outlet port opening into said chamber.

4. In a pump, a casing providing a chamber having an inlet adjacent its bottom and a branched outlet `at its top, a pair of annular pump rings within said casing cooperating to form a pump channel, an impeller extending into said channel, said channelbeing provided with an outwardly directed branched inlet port registering with said casing inlet, and with an inwardly directed branched outlet port opening into said chamber.

5. Pumping apparatus comprising the combination with a priming chamber having an outlet adjacent its bottom, of a casing providing an impeller chamber having an inlet adjacent its bottom and an outlet at its top,

means connecting said priming chamber outlet Wlth sa1d impeller chamber inlet, a pair ot -a-nnular pump rings in said impeller chamber cooperating to form a'pump channel, said channel being provided with an out-v'vardlyl directed inlet port registering with said casing inlet and an inwardly directed outlet port opening into said chamber, an impeller in said impeller chamber extending into said pump channel and adapted, when rotated, to cause flow of fluid through said pump channel from said inlet through said outlet port, and means to rotate said impeller.

, Signed by me this 8th day of December,

AGALE L.y FERGUSON.

my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

, 1. In a pump, a casing providing a chamber and an inlet and outlet communicating theref with, and means forming a pump channel within said chamber, said pump channel being provided with an inlet port registering with said casing inlet and said pump channel being further provided with anA outlet port openmg into the interior of said chamber. 

